Words of Wellness with Shelly

From Clinic Limits To Lasting Wellness: How Coaching and Accountability Lead to Real, Sustainable Health

• Shelly Jefferis • Season 3 • Episode 152

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Confused by wellness noise and quick fixes that never seem to stick? We bring on Shannon, a nurse practitioner and holistic health coach, to bridge the gap between rushed clinic visits and the real‑life support it takes to create lasting change. Together we unpack how to cut through misinformation, build consistency, and protect long‑term health with strength training, protein, and movement you actually enjoy.

Shannon shares what she sees on the front lines: limited appointment time, overwhelmed patients, and the lure of viral advice. We get practical about accountability and frequent check‑ins, showing why small, realistic steps beat all‑or‑nothing plans. We take a balanced look at GLP‑1 medications—when they help, where they go wrong, and how to use them with adequate protein, progressive resistance training, hydration, and recovery so you preserve muscle and metabolic health rather than chasing a number.

Bone health takes center stage for perimenopausal and postmenopausal women. We talk DEXA scans, early signs of osteopenia, and how strength training, higher protein, and smart supplementation can rebuild resilience. Shelly and Shannon share candid stories of moving from overtraining and under‑eating to a steadier approach: brisk walking, lifting, and fueling enough to support hormones, bones, and mood. You don’t have to be perfect to be healthy—you have to be consistent.

If you’re ready to trade hacks for habits, you’ll leave with clear steps: stack new habits onto ones you already have, and find a buddy or coach who keeps you honest. Subscribe, share this with a friend who needs a hopeful reset, and leave a review to help more people find practical, science‑grounded wellness. What small habit will you start today?

CONNECT WITH SHANNON: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/navigating_to_wellness

Navigatingtowellness.com

CONNECT WITH SHELLY:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wellnesswithshellyj https://www.instagram.com/momswhoflourish
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ShellyJefferis

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High quality, clean nutrition and beauty products: https://shellyjefferis.isagenix

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Coupon code for 10% off: ShellyJefferis

Thank you for listening to the Words of Wellness podcast with Shelly Jefferis. I am honored and so grateful to have you here and it would mean the world to me if you could take a minute to follow, leave a 5-star review and share the podcast with anyone you love and anyone you feel could benefit from the message.

Thank you and God Bless! And remember to do something for yourself, for your wellness on this day!
In Health,

Shelly

SPEAKER_02:

We have to help people. I mean, there's there is absolutely a place for doctors and surgeries and hospitals, but I feel like we're missing the boat and people could be so much healthier. And to keep reaching out and talking to people and sharing with people and being a good example ourselves, I think is so important.

SPEAKER_00:

Do you get confused by all of the information that bombards us every day on ways to improve our overall health and our overall wellness? Do you often feel stuck, unmotivated, or struggle to reach your wellness goals? Do you have questions as to what exercises you should be doing, what foods you should or shouldn't be eating, how to improve your overall emotional and mental well-being? Hello everyone. I am so excited to welcome you to Words and Wellness. My name is Shelly Jeffrey, and I will be your host. My goal is to answer these questions and so much more. With 35 years as a helping one professional, a rate of my comedy professor, a speaker and a multi-professional entrepreneur. I certainly have much to say. You bring in guests who can share their journeys so that we can all learn together while making an impact on the health, the wellness, and lives of all of you, our listeners. The ultimate hope is that you leave today with even just one nugget that can enhance the quality of your life, and that you will, we all will, now and into the future, live our best quality of lives full of energy, happiness, and joy. Now let's dive into our message for today. Hello everyone, welcome back to Words of Wellness. My name is Shelly, and I will be your host. And my guest today is a nurse practitioner and a holistic health coach. So what a wonderful combination. I am really looking forward to our conversation. I know we're gonna have a lot to talk about. So welcome, Shannon, to Words of Wellness. Thank you. It's just so good to be here. I am excited to have you here, and I'm just excited to hear a little bit more about your journey. And I love the fact that you're combining being a nurse practitioner with sharing holistic health. I find like I see a lot of people on social media that are searching for someone like you. They're always looking for someone who's a nurse practitioner, but they have a more holistic approach. And so I think that is wonderful.

SPEAKER_02:

Well, I started as a nurse for about 20 years, and then I've been a nurse practitioner for almost six. And then about a year and a half ago, I um got certified for the holistic health and nutrition coach. So, yes, I've just done this all my life, I feel.

SPEAKER_00:

Right. And so are you practicing as a nurse practitioner now, or have you strictly gone into the coaching side?

SPEAKER_02:

So I still practice as a nurse practitioner at a FQHC. So it's a federally qualified health clinic. And then I do that four days a week. And then I do private health coaching on the side, and with the goal of eventually getting more into the private health coaching, it just as that transitions.

SPEAKER_00:

Right. Well, and I know, and I'm sure you know this as well. That's that's an area that I'm I'm in and going to be expanding more in as far as wellness, longevity, and it's a field that's not going anywhere, basically, right? I mean, it's gonna always be here, and there's going to always be a demand, and people need people need us and need people like yourself to be able to help them in in that way. And I think that you have that benefit of having that medical background as well, and you can kind of help people from that perspective, which I think is really beneficial.

SPEAKER_02:

Yes, it's you know, in the clinic side, you get such a limited time with patients. 15 minutes, maybe 20, and that's their appointment time, and then half the time is with support staff. So we just don't get a ton of time with patients. And so I feel as I was doing that, I was seeing so many patients that were so frustrated because you know, I'm gonna tell them to exercise, go eat their vegetables, drink some water, but then I don't see them again for three months or six months. And so there's no support to help people get better. And so that kind of I mean, I've been really liked wellness, longevity, nutrition. I've seen how this all benefits people for years. Um, but I was like, some we have to do something differently. Like this medical model, I mean, it definitely has good things about it, but it does not work if you are trying to get people to change.

SPEAKER_00:

Well, and I think that's such an important point because uh a huge part of the coaching is the accountability, right? Being able to be there, keep them accountable, and and help them integrate what you're teaching them and sharing with them. And there needs to be that regular check-in. So that's such an excellent point because in a medical setting, like you're saying, it's every few months or maybe once a year, even, that they're getting that that contact with their with their doctor.

SPEAKER_02:

Yes. And I mean, don't you feel like there's so much information out there that people have to kind of muddle through? And if they don't, they don't if you don't know what's good information and what's wrong information, it's so, so confusing.

SPEAKER_00:

It's very confusing. And I used to tell my students when I was teaching college classes in person, I would say the exact same thing. I would say, you know, even with this being my background, and it's like you're saying the same thing, being in the field, it's confusing for us. So for the average person who doesn't have the education or the background, um, I I would just be, I wouldn't know where to start. And I think that that's so key is to help these people, you know, our our clients, help them make sense of the information, give them the information that's accurate, help them make sense of what applies to them and give them a little bit of clarity. And it is, it's an ongoing, it's a little challenging, and it's kind of one of those ongoing journeys for sure.

SPEAKER_02:

Yes, yeah, because I'll get um I really like checking in with people a few times a week when I'm coaching them, and then they'll send me things that they see on social media, you know, just like random things, and they're like, Well, is this true? Should I be doing this? You know, and it's like everyone wants to be distracted by the by the shiny, right? Or the things that are marketed really well and and wanting immediate results, you know, we don't want to not take care of ourselves for 50 years and think that, gosh, it might take a couple years to get where you want to be. You know, and they see something that's like, oh, in in 30 days you can be shredded. Just like it's and it's being supportive of them without you know taking away that motivation they have. You know, it's just it's a balance.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, it definitely is. And that's such a really, really good point because they might be excited and motivated by something that they see or something, a program that they start. And then we have to kind of be a little bit more of that, not not the logical side, but maybe a little more realistic of okay, this is this is great, but this is really either how much time it's gonna take or how much effort it's going to take. And I so agree with you. I know a big, a big goal of mine is, I mean, for myself, but also when I'm sharing with with others to take steps now, like be preventative with our health so that we're not getting sick or having any illness or disease later. And of course, it's obviously not a guarantee, but it's it's that point where let's do what we can now and give us a little bit better chance of being healthier for a longer period of time rather than dealing with a lot of different challenges later on.

SPEAKER_02:

Well, and I'll have some people and they'll say, Well, you know, I'm, you know, you can still this one person I know, they were like, Well, I know this guy, he biked an hour to work every day, he was a hard worker, he always ate well, and then he died from an aneurysm at 50. Well, that can happen. I mean, but if you do get sick, but you start from a higher place of health, your ability to recover is so, so much better. You know, and it's just really unfortunate that people I mean, that they think that continuum has to be one or the other. You know, that they either have to just for some reason people think that being healthy is like a terrible sad thing, and I'm not quite sure where that came from because it's not. But that's they're like, well, I'm gonna go eat steak and eat my MMs and drink my Mountain Dew, and I'm gonna be happy. And you can still be happy if you modify that a little bit. So I think that's the frustrating part is trying to get people to understand we don't have to go from zero to a hundred, but even if you get to 70, like you said, your quality of life for when you're older is so much better.

SPEAKER_00:

It's so, so true. And you you are, and I think we're up against just the the fast pace of life, and then also what we're what we've been seeing for so many years uh in society and what what the information that's been coming at us, right, for so long. I I just was sharing, I think I was sharing actually on social media about just not being restrictive. Like that's one thing that I never have encouraged people to do, and I've never been that way myself. I feel like you can make, like you're saying, healthy choices and still enjoy yourself and have fun. It's not like this all like grim, you know, circumstance. It doesn't, it doesn't have to be. And I think that that's kind of been a message through the years for whatever for whatever reason, that's kind of what a lot of people view it as, I feel like. And it doesn't have to be that way. And I and I know like I try and like impress upon people like you can enjoy yourself, like whatever you enjoy. Do you enjoy having dessert? Okay, you just don't have it every single night, right? You make choices, and I feel like 80% of the time, maybe even 75% of the time, make healthy choices the best that you can, and then give yourself a little extra leeway where you can you can enjoy and not feel guilty. Like people, I have a a friend years ago, and she started a nutrition journey with me, and I was I was coaching her, and she came back after a weekend and she had gone wine tasting with her friends, and she felt guilty and was like beating herself up because she went wine tasting and kind of got off her nutrition plan. And I said, Did you have fun? And she said, Yes. I said, then that's great. Two, three days is not going to completely derail what you started. And I think that people are just so they're so quick to beat themselves up over things like that. Yes.

SPEAKER_02:

Or they are like, well, something similar, you know. I went to a wine test tasting and I ate this food I'm, you know, not supposed to eat. And now I have to go on the, you know, the elliptical or the treadmill for an hour. Like I have to burn off all those calories. And what that treadmill or elliptical says is totally inaccurate anyway. It's it's it's irrelevant, it's just a number. But it's like getting them to understand, like, it's okay. We're not punishing, like this is it's just okay. That was that day. It's fine. Let's get back on track. You know, if you have that day, like go for a walk with your friends. I I don't know where that came from with society, where like I said, it has we were talking about it has to be just you know, uh all all of it and be with the idea that you're sad and you're not, or you know, the opposite. So that has been a very I think a very hard part that I've been learning as I've been coaching people is trying to get them to understand that it's just little steps, just doing little things, but we have to do them every day consistently.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, that's so perfect because it it is, it's just small daily, daily habits that add up over time. And yes, I'm with you in the fact that where did the all or nothing come from? And you don't know. And I feel like it's that's part of what we are responsible to do at this point to help, like you're saying, educate others and and help them to understand that it doesn't have to be that way, and it doesn't have to be a punishment. And like you're saying, jumping on that treadmill or elliptical is not is hey, that's great, you can get a little exercise, but it should not be like you say, the punishment, right? And gosh, there's a lot of a lot of people who view it like that. So that's again where you know, where we come in to to educate and support and guide them in the in the best way that we can, right?

SPEAKER_02:

Yes. And I think when they have like um when they do it with a friend or a group, I think it's really helpful just to have, you know, like when you support yourself with those people around you, it's it's a lot better for them. I I've just seen that when I have a couple people who kind of buddy up and they kind of want to do the same things and they really encourage each other. And that is so good.

SPEAKER_00:

Mm-hmm.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah, it makes all the difference.

SPEAKER_00:

For sure. What do you feel like right now? What do you feel is the biggest, I don't want to say challenge, but what do you notice within your clients, whether it's in your practice or who you're coaching, what are they, what are they dealing with? I mean, not just the weight loss, but I mean, I know like we have the GLP one, you know, that's all over the place discussed a lot, pros, cons. And that's a hot topic. Um do you do you find that you're you're having patients that are considering that or perhaps are using using that medication?

SPEAKER_02:

Well, so I mean, I have patients who I prescribe it for, um obviously diabetics, and then some who use it for obesity. I have some that are I'm lucky enough that I offer to coach them with it. Those do very well. Um, there's a lot of people who use it, and yes, it cuts you lose weight if you just stop eating because for some people it just kills that appetite, but then we end up to the point where I've seen they're eating, you know, a thousand calories, they're not losing weight, you know, and they're and they're plateaued and they want me to increase the dose. And I'm like, nope, can't do it. Like, that's not what you need. So I think those medications are so effective if they are used properly with the protein and the exercise and the water and all the things. But I think that most of the time they are not used properly. And I think to be real honest with you, I think the dosing is just I mean, if I think it's really high unless you are, you know, a diabetic, type two, really obese, your A1C is really crazy, then yeah, you have to do the higher doses. But for the majority of people using them for weight loss, I just I feel like it's the wild west. Like my parents can just get it anywhere. Like anywhere. Just you go online, they mail it to you, they even haven't reconstituted it themselves, which seems a little bit suspicious. But and I think people are so desperate, especially women, they're hormonal, they're menopausal, they're perimenopausal, and they're they're desperate to lose weight and they're so frustrated.

SPEAKER_00:

That would you see to do everyone's bad? I would say yes. And I and I it's interesting you brought that up because I was going to mention like menopause next. I think that that's I'm seeing a lot of that as well. And I think also, like you're saying, anyone can get this. And and if someone decides, oh, I I want a higher dose, they probably can get it. I mean, I know I get an email daily, daily, maybe two or three every day. And uh it's just it's right there for anyone that wants it. And again, the shame of that is the fact that like you were saying, it's beneficial for some people. And uh when you have uh it being, I don't know how I don't want to phrase like it's not like they're taking advantage of it, but it's it's it's it's becoming so prevalently used by so many people that it kind of loses the unique benefits that it can provide for those who truly need it. And then I see, you know, those that are experiencing some of the side effects. I had a student, actually, one of my college students, who had shared in um I was teaching an online class and it just broke my heart because he was experiencing some side effects. He's actually had to have surgery and he's had some side effects from being on the medication. And of course, that's gonna happen. It's not everybody, but you hear those stories and you're gosh, I don't know. Was it necessary for this young? He's probably, I don't know how old he is, he's early 20s at the at the oldest. And it just breaks my heart to see someone like that already having a challenge due to taking the medication. And again, I'm not trying to bash it because I think it is beneficial for certain people, but you do come across that as well, and it's just really concerning. But again, in this case, it was prescribed to him, but it is a little concerning when you know, like you're saying, anybody, anybody can access it. Anybody.

SPEAKER_02:

Well, and I think about it like if it's prescribed in the clinic. you know, even for diabetics, right? I tell my di type two diabetics, okay, this is the medication, these are the side effects, this is what we need to do. But again, fifteen or twenty minutes is what I get. And and I think that they don't understand how important it is to do the things that you tell them. Right. You know? And so a lot of them they just take the medicine but they don't do the other things. You know, and especially the women the thing that I worry about with them is osteoporosis. Because I I feel like every time I do a DEXA scan on anybody, everyone's always osteopenic or osteoporotic. So then we're going to add a GLP1 to that. And we're taking away then your appetite and to get people to exercise is that's you know that's hard. That's what you you know we do is encourage that. And I think what is going to happen in like 10 years are I mean if if people keep using it the way they're using it and don't do the things they're supposed to do.

SPEAKER_00:

That's such a good point. What age are you seeing that what's or what's the most common age you're you're seeing that you're seeing the osteoporosis you're seeing the women want the the medication so I I really push DEXA scans for anybody postmenopausal.

SPEAKER_02:

Anyone who's gone that full year with that menstruation I because if I can get entrants to cover it for them I want that DEXA scan. I want them to understand how important it is to have strong bones like so much. But I feel like that's kind of that age group who's you know the perimenopausal kind of starting into the 40s to 50s who are really frustrated with that weight gain. And then that's also the group that we're most at risk for for the you know our bone loss starting so if they're not doing anything to offset that it's just you know it's like you're you're starting a fire under there.

SPEAKER_00:

And you know then you obviously you know you can get falls and broken hips and then vertebral fractures and all this and I think you're I think you're right though is that and it's and kudos to you for doing the testing because it's it's not something I feel like as we're talking I'm realizing it's not talked about enough the our bone health like we're talking about muscles we're talking about protein we're talking about our weight we're talking about body fat but are we talking about our skeletal system that supports our entire body right I just never even thought of it that way.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah and then the protein of course helps and the muscle helps you know and just the strength training to you know build that bone density is so important. Try to get people to understand that is it's very difficult.

SPEAKER_00:

It is because that's not something they're going to be able to see like results from or physically be able to tell a difference. And I remember as we're talking when I would lecture to my college students about the benefits of exercise and the strength training of course the one besides strengthening your muscles it strengthens your bones but when you're young and many of my students are they're not really thinking in those terms because this is something that is actually we don't really think about or we're concerned with till like you're saying later on in life right so to take precautions when you're in your late teens early 20s 30s whatever it might be people aren't really thinking about oh yeah I want to strengthen my bones it is something that I used to share too because like you're saying if you are later on in life and you're at more risk for falling and then if you do fall you're at more risk of breaking a bone and all of these different risks that are involved you know people you know too who are on it and they just look so frail.

SPEAKER_02:

And it's like they can't feel good. I mean I think they probably at some point if you've really struggled with weight all your all your life and now you can fit into a pair of jeans that you've always wanted to and that makes you feel good. And I would never take that away from anybody but I see it all the time when people are in their 70s you know they step off a curb wrong and trip and fall down and things are never the same.

SPEAKER_00:

I wouldn't wish that on anyone right and I I've heard that and I've seen that and even witnessed that in my own family that you're so right like the one the second you have any kind of a health challenge in those later years it's so you really can't really recover 100% I don't think I mean even if someone's healthy they're still gonna be not be completely how they were prior I feel like yes I I agree.

SPEAKER_02:

So I had a I'll share this with you I had a long history like in my younger years till actually probably about three, four years ago. So I was always active I ran marathons lots of half marathons but I did you know looking back now I can see that I was doing a lot of overtraining and undereating. So I was riding my horse one day and it was in the winter and he spooked and he went one way I went the other and unfortunately I I have tried to land on my feet instead of just falling. So I landed I could tell I broke my leg like as soon as I you know as soon as it was done I'm like okay this is bad I you can just tell and I went to you know got treatment blank story but I remember my orthopedic saying insufficiency fracture possible insufficiency fracture and I was like oh no because that means that my bones are not as strong as they should be and it was but like looking back I can see well I was doing things wrong. You know I was under the understanding that you know that same way like okay I I went and ate all this food fast food well now I'm gonna run six miles and it's so interesting now because I I lift about three days a week I'm very intentional with my nutrition I I walk I don't run and I feel better my weight's actually a little bit less and it was it's just amazing how much better you feel if you're fed and you're just moving and you're not of that mindset that you just have to be so punishing almost to your own body. Right, right. You know so to get my and I feel like all my clients are of that same mindset. You know and so to have and and to understand how hard it was to change because there was multiple times I'm like I'm not gonna do this. I don't want to I just want to go back to where I was doing eat 1200 calories drink diet coke and go run a bunch. And so it was really hard mentally to make myself be like okay we're eating 2200 calories and it was tracking calories to make sure I was getting enough for what I was doing which was very difficult and and it was more mentally hard than anything. So I think going through that myself I can really understand my clients and how hard it is to make that switch like it's it's very hard for them.

SPEAKER_00:

Well and that's a great maybe not at the time but yeah I probably I'm assuming you can look back and realize that was you experienced that for a reason because like you can help your clients now and I always think about that so many people that I talk with and I know that that's an underlying theme that you get in a position to help people in a position that you once were in. So you actually have the experience to be able to help them because you you lived it right you went through it and that would be hard and I it's interesting I was just having an a conversation with one of my nurse practitioner friends and I just actually came from an appointment earlier today and um we were kind of talking about that very thing about how you it changes when you get older as far as your exercise routine and what's going to be the most beneficial for you right especially in menopause and post and you know for the men out there listening forgive us but you know it's part of the topic um but I know like for me personally I've like you like I've always been a runner for like decades and I still run I enjoy it however I've added more of the walking into my routine and I and I just and I a few months ago I got a weighted vest and I was just talking to my friend earlier today and she says she goes I had she goes I had to stop running she goes it was it was bothering my back and she goes and now I I walk I walk all the time and and we were saying how it's such great exercise but you know I can I can think of a time and I'm not this way now but I can think of the time years ago where it didn't feel like it was enough you know I think when you're younger it might not be enough it might not feel like it's enough even though it is I mean I think it is even though I said it might not be but I think it is but you have to walk in a way that's challenging and and brisk and and challenge yourself. But it was just interesting to have that conversation today with her too because it changes and you sometimes if you do too much or you overtrain it can actually be more like detrimental like what you're saying to your overall physique and your health and bones and your muscles and and everything.

SPEAKER_02:

So hormones so it's really oh yes all of it all of it right I mean she was even talking about how if you act if you overtrain or you exercise too hard later in the day it can affect your cortisol so all these things that we kind of know about but I I tend to kind of go more now with just okay what it what is my body feeling like what it needs what am I going to do today right yeah and I think to be able to like may maybe that's just part of it when we get older we settle enough where we can kind of think what do I need to do today and like a lot of times at when I'm in clinic if it's not not you know 10 below because of where I live you know it's like is the sun shining do I you know can I just go for a 15 minute walk? Like go get some steps in and like especially because I tell my patients to do that. Right. So if I'm gonna tell them to do it I have to do it as well. Otherwise I feel it's very hypocritical. But yeah just to move and like I tell my clients like movement is good. You know I if you love like I used to really love to run I just don't love it anymore. But like if there's something you really love to do you should do that. Just make sure it's in a way that's healthy and it's honoring your body and how you feel but yes movement is good.

SPEAKER_00:

It's way better than sitting in front of a screen right and it's like our bodies are meant our bodies are meant to move like we're not meant to be static and sitting for hours upon hours. And unfortunately that's what a lot of people do and sometimes they don't have a choice if that's their job right sitting at their desk. And so then it comes to okay well can you get up and just take breaks and and do a short brisk walk because like you're saying even just a short brisk walk can make all the difference in the world and yeah the movement is so so important. And I it reminds me back many years ago when I first became pregnant and I realized I I exercised through all of my pregnancies but what's funny is I remember thinking back then there was a time way prior to to to me having my babies but decades prior where people wouldn't they'd get pregnant and they're like oh they just wouldn't do anything right and I remember just remembering thinking so vividly like no we're we're not we're not like sick we're still supposed to be moving you know even though we're you know carrying this little person inside of us it's still important to get that exercise so the movement is huge and um I you know even as as it comes to our overall health and and there's still longevity getting that movement like you're saying is is critical oh absolutely and it can be a little bits at a time and the the little bits add up so start somewhere and just add gradually on to that right yes yes even I tell my clients when you're making coffee in the morning as the coffee pot is simmering like stretch with your blood flowing do something so good I was just talking to my husband about that the other day about habit stocking so like if there's something you're doing every day and it's part of your routine okay I add your, you know, I think we were talking about is vitamins I go well add those next to your toothbrush or whatever, right? Something that you're doing every day. But like that's such a great suggestion. So something you're doing every day while you're waiting like for your coffee to to be ready do some squats.

SPEAKER_02:

Stretch I love habit stacking that's what I I tell my patients with their medicines you're exactly right take a habit you know you're gonna do every day and let's just add a little bit to that you know and then you get good at that and then we're gonna add a little bit more.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah it's amazing once you once you get in that routine it just adds up and y'all before you know it you're like oh this is just part of my routine now. Right. So you are coaching you're working in your practice I think we were talking about you're wanting to eventually go more into the coaching side of things. Do you think that's something that you'll do more so in the near future and maybe get out of like practicing as a nurse practitioner altogether at some point?

SPEAKER_02:

I really think that's my eventual goal. You know the knowledge base of being in traditional Western medicine healthcare that I've gained is tremendous and and being able to understand that when clients come to me and they're telling me their labs and they're telling me what medicines they're on and that knowledge is tremendous. So I'm very glad for that. But eventually I hope to just gently transition you know a few more days in the coaching a few less days in the clinic um eventually and then just to do that full time. I just I really really enjoy it and I feel like we have to help people I mean there's there is absolutely a place for doctors and surgeries and hospitals but I feel like we're missing the boat and people could be so much healthier and to keep reaching out and talking to people and sharing with people and being a good example ourselves I think is so important.

SPEAKER_00:

Right. Yeah that's always been huge to me like I want to be able to be the example that I'm you know walk the talk right I'm sharing about what to do I need to be the example and I I think back to this is crazy but I I'll never forget this vision in junior high or it was actually high school in my PE class. I think I was a freshman I'm not even sure but I remember looking in and I don't even know who was leading our class but I remember walking by and the PE teacher kind of was whole older a little heavyset and she was sitting at her desk and I'll never forget thinking why is she not out why is she not out here with us like this is PE time you know just and whatever whatever was going on I mean that was so many years ago and I don't know but I that's always stuck with me. Like I always felt like you you gotta walk the talk you know you whatever it is you're doing it's just that's that's genuine that's authentic and if you're not then we certainly can't be talking to other people and training other people to do something that we're not right and expect them to do it. So absolutely it's huge. It really is absolutely well I I really admire you for what you're doing and I've I just really have enjoyed the conversation we have a lot in common and very much in alignment with our views and I again I admire you for combining your your your you know bringing your profession your background and your expertise into the holistic healthy health coaching field because I think that's when you merge those two you can't go wrong. Like I I'm actually sitting here going gosh yeah I wish I kind of had a little bit more of a medical background so I had some familiarity with some of this information. I mean I learned some of it through my education but to me it's it's it's a great great advantage to have when you're helping people for sure.

SPEAKER_02:

Well and I think the more of us there are that can put this information out there and share it and be good examples and help people, you know, hopefully you get that trickle down effect you know and we just can help more and more people.

SPEAKER_00:

Yes and that's exactly the goal and I love what you're saying. You're like I feel like people can be so much more healthier and I completely agree. And by what you're doing and like you you see it like the time that patients have with a nurse or for a doctor it's so limited. It is so to be able to have a little bit more time attention being able to follow follow our clients and and help them with their progress is is so key. Yes I really enjoyed enjoyed this talking to you it's great information and well and you're you're making a difference and that's what this is all about and that's what I that's why I started the podcast quite frankly to just help get the word out and just really help everyone that listens with their overall health and wellness and and be able to impact the lives of others so they can live long healthy energetic lives. So do you have any on that note any words of wellness or or any words of inspiration you want to leave our listeners with?

SPEAKER_02:

Well I guess my biggest advice is just start start small and just keep being consistent just start small with doing something and you'll be so surprised after some time with the changes but you just have to start and ask for help if you need help. I mean invest in your health that's the best investment you can make so amen a hundred percent well this has been really great Shannon and I will put your contact information in the show notes is is there a spot that's the best place where people can find you um I have a website navigatingtowellness.com okay um and then they can contact me through there and I it has my email I I have Instagram Facebook on there those are all connected so okay perfect well I will put that in the show notes and for all of our listeners if something resonated with you here take time to to reach out to Shannon.

SPEAKER_00:

You know she definitely has the the medical knowledge and then the holistic health knowledge and experience so you can't you can't go wrong with those two combinations together. So definitely reach out to her. And again, thank you so much, Shannon, for for being here. This has been really, really much a pleasure to have you on and get to have a conversation. Yeah, I appreciate it very much. And for everyone, take time for your wellness on this day. And everyone, every day, you know, take time to get up and move and go for a walk. Doesn't have to take a long time. Get a little fresh air and a brisk walk, even just around the block, can be beneficial. And until next time, have a beautiful, blessed rest of your week, everyone. We'll see you next time on Words of Wellness. Thank you so much for tuning into today's episode. I hope you gained value and enjoyed our time together as much as I did. And if you know someone who could benefit from today's episode, I would love and appreciate it if you could share with a friend or rate and review Words of Wellness so that more can hear this message. I love and appreciate you all. Thank you for listening. And if you have any questions or topics you would like me to share in future episodes, please don't hesitate to reach out to me through my contact information that is shared in the show notes below. Again, thank you for tuning in to Words of Wellness. My name is Shelly Jeffries, and I encourage you to do something for you, for your wellness on this day. Until next time, I hope you all have a healthy, happy, and blessed weekend.